Post by account_disabled on Feb 20, 2024 3:08:31 GMT -5
Clarisse Merlet was an architecture student in when she noticed the amount of textile waste generated each year. In France, it is estimated to be about million tons, and that is only a fraction of what is thrown away worldwide; in the United States it was million tons three years ago. Very little of that discarded clothing is collected for reuse or recycling: less than a third in France, and half (%) in the United States.
Merlet was aware of the decline in natural resources and the enormous waste inherent to the construction industry.
He thought there could be a better way to build that would reduce the demand for virgin material and take advantage of resources already extracted.
That's how he came up with the idea for FabBRICK, his award-winning company that makes decorative and insulating bricks from old clothes.
The basic component of the bricks is BTC Number Data crushed linen , which Merlet buys already ground from a supplier in Normandy.
Each brick uses the equivalent of two or three t-shirts, any type can be used, not only cotton, but also polyester, elastane, PVC, etc...
The remains are mixed with an ecological glue that she has developed herself, and then pressed into a brick mold.
This mold uses mechanical compression to form the bricks, so it requires no more energy than a human worker needs to press it.
The wet bricks are removed from the mold and allowed to dry for two weeks before use.
As far as construction goes, the bricks cannot be used for structural work, but Merlet is working on it and hopes they can be in the future.
For now, they are resistant to fire and humidity , and constitute an excellent thermal and acoustic insulator . They are suitable for separating rooms and decorating walls in stores (especially those where clothing is sold).
The bricks can be ordered in four different sizes, they can be used to make furniture such as lamps, tables, stools, etc.
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Since our creation at the end of , we have already designed more than , bricks representing tons of recycled textiles.
FabBRICK can customize the wall color with the clothes you decide to recycle.
Merlet has experimented with making bricks from shredded surgical masks, an interesting potential use for some of the pandemic-related waste we're now seeing around the world.
Merlet was aware of the decline in natural resources and the enormous waste inherent to the construction industry.
He thought there could be a better way to build that would reduce the demand for virgin material and take advantage of resources already extracted.
That's how he came up with the idea for FabBRICK, his award-winning company that makes decorative and insulating bricks from old clothes.
The basic component of the bricks is BTC Number Data crushed linen , which Merlet buys already ground from a supplier in Normandy.
Each brick uses the equivalent of two or three t-shirts, any type can be used, not only cotton, but also polyester, elastane, PVC, etc...
The remains are mixed with an ecological glue that she has developed herself, and then pressed into a brick mold.
This mold uses mechanical compression to form the bricks, so it requires no more energy than a human worker needs to press it.
The wet bricks are removed from the mold and allowed to dry for two weeks before use.
As far as construction goes, the bricks cannot be used for structural work, but Merlet is working on it and hopes they can be in the future.
For now, they are resistant to fire and humidity , and constitute an excellent thermal and acoustic insulator . They are suitable for separating rooms and decorating walls in stores (especially those where clothing is sold).
The bricks can be ordered in four different sizes, they can be used to make furniture such as lamps, tables, stools, etc.
Advertisement
Since our creation at the end of , we have already designed more than , bricks representing tons of recycled textiles.
FabBRICK can customize the wall color with the clothes you decide to recycle.
Merlet has experimented with making bricks from shredded surgical masks, an interesting potential use for some of the pandemic-related waste we're now seeing around the world.